Jose Mourinho refuses to rule out signing another defender in January after revealing the crocked Eric Bailly could be out for another three months.

Mourinho claims Bailly needs surgery on the ankle he damaged on international duty with Ivory Coast in October after the injury failed to respond to treatment.

The £30million centre-half last played for Manchester United on November 5 and Mourinho said: “He goes for surgery, the decision is made. I don’t say [he’s out] for the rest of the season, but it’s for the next two or three months.”

Bailly’s loss is a huge blow to United and Mourinho claims he may try and do some of the business he had planned for the summer during next month’s transfer window.

Bailly will miss three months... (Image: PA Wire)

... so Mourinho may spend (Image: Matthew Peters)

“I’m not a big defender of the January market, but there are players and situations that sometimes you have the chance to do and you shouldn’t lose that chance,” he said.

“I don’t like the January market just to buy. But if you can buy one you would buy in June for July, with the chance a few months before, then great.”

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